Baby Chick is obsessed with me

[mllrye]

Help! My week old baby chick is a little too attached to me! I love her so much, but she hates being in brooder. She panics, paces and cries if I leave the room. She just wants to be held 24/7. I’m loving it, but I’m going away for a few days at the end of the month and I want her to be ok and not stressed. She’s not alone (we have other chicks) and we put a mirror in there. Tried a stuffed animal. She goes into brooder to eat and drink but the moment she doesn’t see me she cries. I sit with my hand in there but once she’s done eating she wants to be with me. I work remotely and literally work with her on my lap and shoulder all day. I even take her in the car to pick up my kids at school! I tried to let her cry it out but after a while it made me too sad. My husband refuses to let me take her camping with us at the end of the month. Ha! Any other ideas on what I can try?

 

[Isadora]

Really you're just making it worse by continually having her hang out with you. I know her crying is sad but she needs to get used to hanging out with just the other chicks and not you all the time.

 

[azygous]

Well, it's obvious. She needs to be weaned away from her fixation on you. She is awfully adorable, so no wonder she's got so much power over you.

She will be fine if you let her stay in the brooder with her flock rather than riding around on a human all day. You may still visit and cuddle her, but try to treat her as you treat the others, even showing her that the others are as loved as she is. Yes, chickens notice these things.

 

[-Isla June-]

@mllrye are there other chicks in the brooder? She is probably lonely. You could try getting even one more chick to completely avoid her loneliness. I know her crying is terribly sad! You just have to break through it and she will be fine.

 

[Isadora]

@mllrye are there other chicks in the brooder? She is probably lonely. You could try getting even one more chick to completely avoid her loneliness. I know her crying is terribly sad! You just have to break through it and she will be fine.

OP said there were other chicks.

 

[-Isla June-]

Is she a Brahma? Brahma chickens are one of the most friendly, docile chicken breeds. I also love the pics!! She sure will be a nice one when she’s older. It is important to hold your chicks so that they are nice and friendly as they age. But make sure to leaver her more often, it’s sad but worth it! Overtime you will probably hear her getting more used to her flock and less crying.

 

[mllrye]

@mllrye are there other chicks in the brooder? She is probably lonely. You could try getting even one more chick to completely avoid her loneliness. I know her crying is terribly sad! You just have to break through it and she will be fine.

Yes, we brought home 6. I’m trying to keep her in there but she physically panics. Knocking things over, flying around, getting soaked in water dish, food flying everywhere, stepping on others. I keep putting her in there not wanting her so stressed since she’s barely a week old. I guess it is what it is and maybe there’s nothing else I can do to calm her.

 

[mllrye]

Is she a Brahma? Brahma chickens are one of the most friendly, docile chicken breeds. I also love the pics!! She sure will be a nice one when she’s older. It is important to hold your chicks so that they are nice and friendly as they age. But make sure to leaver her more often, it’s sad but worth it! Overtime you will probably hear her getting more used to her flock and less crying.

She’s supposed to be Americana which I think is a fancy word for Easter egger.

 

[KRack]

Sounds like you've got an indoor chicken to me. Just gonna have to get some sort of litter box and chicken carrier and see how it goes.

I'm joking, but ugh. I don't envy your situation. What's the longest you've left her to "cry it out"? Which I couldn't ever do with my kids and am sure I couldn't do with a chicken either.

 

[Isadora]

What's the longest you've left her to "cry it out"? Which I couldn't ever do with my kids and am sure I couldn't do with a chicken either.

But at least you can bring your kids on a camping trip